Worth



V T. G. ELLSWORTH. Telephone-Switch Boards.

Patented April 27,1880.

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, together by a flexible conductingwire, O, sev- I narily in use.

PATENT OFFICE.

T. GARDNER ELLSWOBTH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TELEPHONE SWITCH-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,991, dated April 27, 1880.

Application filed December 30, i879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, T. GARDNER ELLs- WORTH, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Telephone Switch-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a switch-board. partly in section, showing my improvement disconnected from the main-line wires. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, showing the position of the rods when making connection between different wires of the main line. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional end elevation on line a: m, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on line y y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to facilitate the connection and disconnection of different telephone and telegraph lines at a central office.

The invention consists of a suitable board carrying one or more movable indicating conducting-rods, with which the telephone or telegraph wires connect, said rods serving not only to connect the wires, but also to indicate by their position when they are in use and when they are unoccupied.

In the drawings, A represents the board for supporting the switch-rods.- B B are the vertical braces or supports holding the rods in position upon the board A. O is a round rod provided with pin-holes a, and connected at one end by the wire F with a telegraph-instrument or telephone.

On the board A, above the said switch-rod O, are seen the main-line-wire switches K L M, with the wires R S T, respectively, connected with them, which latter indicate the termini of the main-line wires.

This apparatus is intended to be used more especiallyin connection with a number of mainline wires which are to be put in connection with one another.

Part of the apparatus used in this connection consists of two switch-pins, N N, coupled eral pairs of these coupling-pins being ordi- The operation of this device is as follows, when used in connection with telephone lines and instruments: When an annunciator in rear of one of the main-line switches-for example Kannounces at a central oflice that some one on the main line B wishes to communicate with a person on another main-line wire, one of a pair of coupling or switch pins, N, is inserted in one of the pin-holes of the switch-rod C, and the other coupling-pin of that pair is inserted in a hole in that mainline-wire switch through which the announcement has comefor example, switch K, Fig. 2-aud by this means coin municatiou is im mcdiately established between the person wishing to communicate and the operator who has charge of the switch-board, by means of the current which passes from the main-line wire through the switch K and coupling-pins N and their connecting-wire (),and thence, through the switclrrod U and its end wire, F, to the telephone, which is placed in a convenient position for the use of the operator.

The operator then learning by means of the telephone-instrument with whom the communicating party from switch K wishes to converse--the wire T, for example, leading to such party from the switch M in Fig. 2the operator takes another pair of wire-connected coupling-pins, N, and inserting one of the said pins in a pin-hole in the rod 0, places the other pin N of the last couple or pair in a pin-hole in the main-line-wire switch M with which is connected the wire T, through which communication may be made with the person indicated; and on making this last connection of the coupling-pins N with the switch-rod G the operator revolves the said rod so that the row of pin-holes a a will be turned uppermost, as shown in Fig. 2, instead of showing on the face of the said red, as seen in Fig. 1, and this position of the said rod 0, which may be seen at a glance, indicates that the rod is in use, and consequently that other messages cannot be transmitted through it until the said rod has been restored to its primary position and the last pair of switch or coupling pins withdrawn to indicate that the rod is disengaged. To prevent this rod 0 from being turned or revolved too far a pin, g, is inserted transversely through it, the point of said pin engaging in the slot h of the board A.

Other forms of these movable indicating conducting-rods are shown at D and E in the drawings. D is a square rod with differentlycolored faces and provided with pin-holes b, and E is a square hollow rod provided with vertical grooves 0, that are of a different color from the rest of the rod, and it is also provided with pin-holes (I. These rods D E are connected with telephones through their re spective wires G H. The rods D E are also connected, when required, through the termini of the main-line wires, in the manner already described for red O, by the coupling-pins N N and wire 0.

To indicate that the rod D is in use it is turned upward, so as to present an angle to the front, and thus show two faces of different colors; and it is limited in its turning by the engagement of its pin i against a corresponding pin, 70, set in the switch-board A. To indicate that the rod E is in use itis made to slide laterally, so that the colored grooves c in its face will be moved from behind the vertical supports B and be exhibited. as shown in Fig. 2.

To indicate that the rod D is not in use it is moved in the opposite direction, so that the colored grooves 0 will pass under and be hidden by the support B, and the extent of its lateral movement is determined by the pins on 'm, that are set in the said rod E on either side of one of the braces B.

In a telephone central office or exchange, where many main-line wires converge, these switch movable indicating-rods are found to be of great utility and convenience. Being arranged in compact and regular order immediately beneath the lines of switches in which the main-line wires terminate, they afford to the operators in the office most ready means for connecting the various lines of communication, and as the operators can tell at a glance from the positions of the rods whether the rods are in use or not, the work of making and breaking connections between the main-line wires is greatly facilitated.

I do not limit or confine myself to the exact form or position of any of the parts herein described, as they may be varied without departing from my invention.

I am aware that the pins N, with their flexiblc connecting and conducting wires 0, are not, in themselves, new; and I therefore disclaim the same as being my invention.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A telephone switch-board made substantially as herein shown and described, and consisting of a suitable board carrying one or more movableindicatingconducting-rods, with which the telephone-wires connect, as set forth.

2. In a telephone switch-board, the movable indicating conducting-rods, constructed and operating substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a telephone switch-board, the combination, with the telephone line-wire terminals, of the movable indicating conducting -rods, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

T. GARDNER ELLSWORTH.

Witnesses:

O. SEDGWICK, I. I. STORER. 

